Beg, borrow, and steal. That seems to be the motto of 1.5. We plunder decks and ideas from 1.x and even Type 2. But truthfully, we seem to get some of our best contenders from our older brother Type 1. Just like that one punk with sticky fingers at our local tournament, we're always on the look to steal a deck... well not literally steal one - just the idea. And I think that we scored a solid one in these past two months.

Allan
Recently, another Madness variant has seen Type 1 tournament success. Oshawa Stompy, created by Ray Mitchell, has topped several Type 1 tournaments in Canada. Not intensive in Power 9 or other restricted cards, this can easily be converted to use in 1.5.

Matt
This Stompy deck has captured the attention of a few good 1.5 players and they are seeking to tech it out. It's a mono-Green beat down deck that uses and abuses Survival of the Fittest, Bazaar of Baghdad, and Squee, Goblin Nabob. How can we change it into a 1.5 contender and further improve Ray Mitchell's build?

To be sure to not change too many of its original tenets, we must briefly look at what makes the deck good in Type 1. First, it should be resilient to non-basic hate. Second, its creatures should allow it to have a strong game against control. Third, the deck should be able to hold its own against other aggro decks. These basics should be easy to mimic in a 1.5 version.

Allan
The first of the strong points of this deck is the resistance of the manabase to non-basic hate. Non-basic hosers from Wasteland to Price of Progress and Back to Basics to Blood Moon are everywhere in Type 1.5. This is both proper and necessary, since non-basic lands are so strong. Look at how powerful Bazaar of Baghdad, Mishra's Workshop, dual lands, and man lands are in a range of top tier and classic decks. One of the reasons that the best budget decks, like Sligh, Stompy and Suicide Black, are so good, is their ability to use LD or non-basic hate while being resistant to them. Anyone who has ever lost to turn 1 Swamp, Dark Ritual, Duress, Sinkhole, turn 2 Wasteland, small Black threat turn 3 Swamp, not-so-small Black threat (or Hymn to Tourach) or turn 1 Mountain, annoying Red-critter-of-undercosted-doom, turn 2 Wasteland, turn 3 Wasteland can sympathize.

Matt
Second, the deck should have a strong game against control. Cheap threats, EOT madness critters, untargetables, Squee and Bazaar search engine, Survival of the Fittest, and recurring critters via Genesis gives the deck a very strong game against control. If control drags you into the mid or late game, you should be able to out draw the control deck using Bazaar and multiple Squee. Survival of the Fittest can provide constant threats for you to place on the board. The control player cannot counter everything. Genesis also provides recursion for your critters so that you can bleed the control player dry of counters and removal.

Last, the deck should be able to hold its own against other aggro decks. Sligh has burn and Goblin Food Chain can win on turn 3, but your critters are simply better. Survive those early turns, and you should be able to outdraw other aggro decks. Survival will allow you to search for main deck silver bullets in game one or your sideboard ones in games two and three. Wild Mongrel can be tough for the burn player to remove, and Troll Ascetic should be near impossible. In games 2 and 3, Ravenous Baloths in the sideboard can help you from being overwhelmed.

I like to consider three general questions when I'm analyzing a deck for 1.5. Keep in mind, that I said that these questions are general and won't always apply to all decks. These questions allow me to look at a deck and theorize about its viability for the format.

1. Is it fast? Does it have bursts of speed?
Yes, it's fast. Elvish Spirit Guide gives the deck a quick burst of speed that can let it contend with other good 1.5 decks. The possibility of turn 1 Wild Mongrel or Survival of the Fittest is tasty! The Guide also provides an element of surprise for when you tap out.

Unfortunately, the deck seems to kill a goldfish at a later turn than the current top decks of 1.5. On average, I've hit a turn of 5. Turn 4 is possible, but very unlikely as it involves multiple ESG. I would like a more consistent turn 4 goldfish, but who wouldn't?

Allan
Stompy boasts fast critter development and better artifact and enchantment disruption than most other budget aggro decks, so combining that with the power of Madness seems brilliant. One of the major problems in Stompy, indeed in all aggro decks, has been lack of card draw - the dreaded descent into topdeck mode after your opponent somehow stabilizes.

Bazaar of Baghdad, which disqualifies the deck for"low budget," overcomes this disadvantage, at least when combined with either Squee, Goblin Nabob, madness, or graveyard/flashback cards. Though vulnerable to Wasteland, even a one shot use to power out an Arrogant Wurm or Basking Rootwalla (or better yet - both!) while digging deeper into your deck is worthwhile. If your opponent doesn't have the hate, you're golden. Yet even if they are packing answers to non-basic lands, there are only four legitimate targets in the deck. Furthermore, those four targets are important, but not vital, when the deck can function much like a normal Stompy build in terms of speed and consistency of threat density.

2. Does it have answers to the top decks of the format? Or does it at least have reasonable chance against those decks?
Matt
Main deck Naturalize helps it deal with MUD, Isochron Scepter, Food Chain, and Dragon. The ultra janky Spore Fog... eh, Frog, can be fetched by Survival of the Fittest and recurred through Genesis to provide a possible answer to the hordes of goblins the Food Chain player will be throwing at you. Plus, your creatures should usually be better than the little red men. Against MUD, free lizards will help the match, as will ESG. Sex monkeys in the board could help also.

OshStomp should give any of the 1.5 control variants trouble for the reasons that I stated above. Unfortunately, the most hated deck in the format, Dragon, will likely win the first game against OshStomp. In game 1, your only weapon is Naturalize and a clock. Dragon is simply faster than this deck. To win the Dragon match, bring the usual hate. Crypts, maybe Ray of Revelations for your own Bazaar and flashback goodness, Viridian Zealots, Ground Seal, etc. could all swing games 2 and 3 in your favor.

Allan
Stompy doesn't usually feature as much land disruption, but does utilize Wasteland. This build not only has the Wasteland, but a way to re-use them via Petrified Field. It can slow down MUD, present a crippling speed bump against Dragon, and eliminate one of the Keeper player's colors. While Wasteland is not only good against at least three of the supposed top four of 1.5, it is not very good against you.

3. Does it have any sort of draw/tutor abilities?
Matt
Does it ever! Survival provides tutoring ability for free lizards, cheap wurms, other beats, and the few silver bullets that the deck runs. If Survival is your tutor, Bazaar is your draw card. Of course, with so much discarding happening, Squee sees this deck and says,"I burn, I pine, I perish." Abuse that Squee like he has never been abused before. Discard him to Survival, to Bazaar, to Mongrel. He loves it so much that he comes back for more."Thank you, sir. May I have another?"

In one test game, I had two Bazaar of Baghdad in play and Survivaled all of my Squees into the yard. How is that for draw? It basically boiled down to draw five cards discard two. Hmmm. Tasty. These engines ensure further critters for further beatings.

Survival of the Fittest, Bazaar of Baghdad, and Squee allow the deck to keep up the pressure by continually dropping threats on the board.

Is it resilient? Does it have any sort of late game or does it run out of gas very quickly? And, can it survive opponent's removal?
This deck is resilient and can have a strong late game all because of the Survival tutor ability and the Bazaar/ Squee draw engine. Once Bazaar/Squee are online, you will often outdraw your opponent, casting more threats than he or she can handle. Genesis allows the deck to effectively resurrect any of its creatures for only 2G.

Allan
Petrified Field is also a way to recur your Bazaar of Baghdad if it should get popped and is resistant to your opponent's Wasteland, since who really wants to kill Petrified Field? Seriously, the card is under-impressive by itself, although it does tap for mana and is yet another weird land that truly shines with Riftstone Portal in the graveyard.

The Possible Builds
Although Ray Mitchell is the creator of the Type 1 version, DicemanX posted the following 1.5 deck list in The Source (imbed link here please http://grexin.shonic.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi ) forums.

Oshawa Stompy, Type 1.5
Engines (12):
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Squee, Goblin Nabob

The Beats (17):
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Basking Rootwalla
4 Arrogant Wurm
4 Troll Ascetic
1 Genesis

Disruption (4):
4 Naturalize

The Mana (27):
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Eladamri's Vineyard
12 Forest
4 Wasteland
3 Petrified Field

Matt
This build is very similar to the Type 1 build besides the obvious removal of the Type I broken cards. Please note that the Eladamri's Vineyards were part of the Type 1 build. The original also included Null Rods, and I have to agree with Diceman's belief that they are unnecessary for 1.5. He replaced them with Naturalize, which is quickly becoming a main deck card in many decks. It hardly lacks targets for the top decks and in a worst case scenario it is Bazaar fodder or dog food. Next he added two more Petrified Fields to recur the Wastelands.

I think that the build could be further improved. Personally, I can't stand the Vineyard. The opponent gets to use it first, therefore speeding up their deck. I'm the one that is supposed to be playing a quick deck, not them! Can MUD use two extra mana? Could Dragon use it? How about Goblin Food Chain? Sure the Vineyard may get a few points of mana burn in, but I think that it will do more harm than good.

Will OshStomp abuse the mana more than any other deck? Not likely. I say remove the Vineyard. DicemanX suggested the possibility of replacing them with Llanowar or Fyndhorn Elves, and I agree. The Elves can accelerate to a turn 2 Troll or provide extra mana for Survival. They can obviously be discarded to Survival, while Vineyard cannot, and, in the late game when their mana is not needed, the elves can get a few swings in.

So, - 4 Vineyard, + 4 Fyndhorn Elves.

Although the deck is supposed to avoid nonbasic hate, Gaea's Cradle seems to be a natural fit. In one test game, the Cradle allowed me to drop four free Rootwallas via Survival at the end of my opponent's turn and then, during mine, pump all four. How can you not like that? Well, maybe if you're on the receiving end of pumped lizards...

The Cradle is powerful, but how many should we include? It is not essential to the deck and is nothing more than awful on turn 1. It's sometimes provides no more mana than a Forest on turn 2, so it is a mid to late game card. One or two seems right to me. I'm currently going with one, since I feel that Bazaar will help me search it out and the second is often dead, once the first is in play. If the first is destroyed, I can get it back with Petrified Field. Now the question is what to take out? I removed one Field since I did not want to up the count of lands that were"sorta crappy" on turn 1."Sorta Crappy?" I know, how technical!

So, - 1 Petrified Field, + 1 Gaea's Cradle.

When you test a 1.5 deck in Apprentice, you will likely play against some strange concoctions. Although I doubt that I will find a true White Weenie deck in an actual 1.5 tournament, I can easily stumble across them online. Oh, the embarrassment that the deck and I suffered after an improbable defeat to a WW deck. Oh the shame! Who has ever lost to Herald of Serra outside of a limited event? Who plays main deck Congregate?

What problems did White Weenie provide? White Knight shuts down the Troll, but that's not the end of the world. I could quickly gum up the ground and start overwhelming with more creatures, but what could I do about evasion creatures that put me on a clock? One main deck Spore Frog could solve this problem. In the real world, the Frog recursion can put a wrench into Goblin Food Chain plans and prevent random losses to other aggro decks such as 1.5 R/G/w Madness. I'm not sure about what to take out though. Either a Troll or a Wurm should likely go. I hate to lose some beats for a utility creature, but it must be a necessary evil. Because I discard cards like a madman in this deck, I'll keep the Wurm and lose one Troll.

- 1 Troll Ascetic, + 1 Spore Frog.

The sideboard should be adjusted to the specific metagame in your area. If you are worried about other aggro or weenie decks, one good choice for the board is Masticore. You will have the mana to use him and plenty of Squees to discard to pay his upkeep. Crypts and Ground Seals are great against Dragon and Survival based decks that rely on recursion. Hidden Gibbons can punish decks like 1.5 Keeper, LandStill, or any burn based deck. If needed, Ravenous Baloth could provide emergency life gain against burn. If you fear MUD, Scavenger Folk, Sex Monkeys, or Molder Slug could be possible choices. Lastly, Elvish Lyrist and Viridian Zealot are viable options for more enchantment hate.

Here's my final list with the adjustments made.

Oshawa Stompy (Matt's version)
Engines (12):
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Squee, Goblin Nabob

The Beats (16):
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Basking Rootwalla
4 Arrogant Wurm
3 Troll Ascetic
1 Genesis

Disruption (5):
1 Spore Frog
4 Naturalize

The Mana (27):
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Fyndhorn Elves
12 Forest
4 Wasteland
2 Petrified Field
1 Gaea's Cradle

Allan
Threat density is the single biggest advantage of Stompy decks, even more important than their speed in my opinion. The deck is half beaters and even the most insignificant utility weasel looks a whole lot more impressive wearing a Rancor. Remember the old margarine commercial,"Everything is better with Blue Bonnet on it"? The same definitely applies to Rancor, and if you can drop a Rancor on one of your premier creatures like a Wild Mongrel or Troll Ascetic, watch your opponent actively sweat.

I believe that one of the components that makes Oshawa Stompy so dangerous is trample. The ability to force damage through, regardless of whether the critter dies, should be highlighted. My personal preference is to also run Berserk, as I own a playset. Not only is it sick pump, especially combined with Rancor, but it can function as removal. For those on a budget, however, Mirrodin has dropped another treat - Predator's Strike. Giant Growth meets Rancor, falls in love, mates likes rabbits, and they produce an instant. In fact, I believe I would run both Rancor and Predator's Strike (or Berserk) if they can be fit into the deck. Currently, they can't be squeezed in.

- 1 Arrogant Wurm, - 1 Troll Ascetic, + 2 Rancor

There is no argument about whether an aggro-control deck of this type should run mana acceleration. But what kind to use and how to squeeze it into the deck? A strong argument exists for the inclusion of Llanowar Elves. A classic Green utility creature, they accelerate early development, help provide permanent overload for effects like Tangle Wire, and can beat down. However, they are also fragile - dying to any effect stronger than a sneeze - and don't come online immediately. I have come to prefer a mana heavy build in Madness but have struggled to make optimal use of extra lands.

Exploration is that card which lets me use my lands explosively. Exploration also allows me to keep hands that I would otherwise be forced to mulligan - ranging from Bazaar, ESG, Exploration and goodness to five lands, Exploration and Survival. The ability to drop a Wasteland and a Bazaar in the same turn or a Petrified Field and the land it returns should not be underestimated.

The fact that Exploration is an enchantment has advantages and disadvantages. Naturalize and Disenchant make me cry, and people have to be prepared for Dragon and its enchantments, but I should always get at least one use out of Exploration. Using that enchantment kill means that my Survivals are now a bit safer. In many ways, Exploration and Night Soil are bait - quite useful on their own but a worthwhile sacrifice to protect Survival of the Fittest. Neither Powder Keg, Edict-like removal, nor burn have any effect on Exploration; although to be fair, I can't exactly slap a Rancor on it and bring the beats. How best to fit all this into the deck? What compromises to make? Survival of the Fittest makes several of the decisions easy, as there is no real penalty to having three-ofs instead four-ofs for creatures.

- 3 Vineyard, + 3 Exploration.

I've made some other minor adjustments. Riftstone Portal is nice Game 1 as it lets all the funky lands play with Survival of the Fittest, cast green spells, activate abilities, etc., but I can live without it. It's Games 2 and 3, where I need Ray of Revelation, that having access to white mana becomes much more important. Viridian Shaman is in because it is tutorable, it is a warm body, and while I don't expect to see huge amounts of MUD or Scepter Control, there always seems to be a problem artifact somewhere. Because it has no poor interaction with anything in my main deck, can be Survivaled, and can recur with Genesis, I give him the nod over Lyrist, Scrapper/Folk, or other smaller utility critter. Lastly, I always run 61 cards, especially in a deck with draw and/or tutors. It lets me fit in an extra card and the percentage difference between 4/60 and 4/61 is negligible.

- 1 Petrified Field, - 1 Vineyard, +2 Riftstone Portal, + 1 Viridian Shaman or Uktabi Orangutan.

Some of the cards which did not make the cut in my build are fine choices - Lyrists (Elvish or Druid), Scavenger Folk or Elvish Scrapper, and Masticore. I am undecided as to whether the Core is better main or side. That depends on the amount of aggro and Goblins - Sligh or combo - in your metagame. If those decks and archetypes are heavily played, Core may well be worth a main deck slot. In an environment full of combo and control, though, it tends to become much less useful.

Having the Masticore animated out of your graveyard by your grinning Dragon opponent would be absolutely craptacular. The Core also provides an answer to Goblin Welder that this deck otherwise lacks. Considering how few people own play sets of Mishra's Workshop, though, I'll gamble against seeing this deck often. That is the primary reason Folk and Scrapper aren't represented. The Lyrists that would be in a mono-Green deck are a turn slower (other than Turn 1) than Monk Realist. While I am gambling on my ability to put a Riftstone Portal in the yard and realizing that it is not the best choice versus Dragon, I believe that CIP effects are generally superior to sacrifice. I also have eight other slots of enchantment hate (four of which flashback) as well as ten other anti-Dragon cards. Lyrists, Folk, Scrappers, and Monks recur nicely with Genesis, so whatever route you choose there is no disadvantage there.

Oshawa Stompy (Allan's build)
Engines (12):
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Squee, Boneless Goblin of Fun
4 Survival of the Fittest

The Beats (18):
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Basking Rootwalla
3 Arrogant Wurm
3 Troll Ascetic
1 Genesis
1 Viridian Shaman (or Uktabi Orangutan)
2 Rancor

Disruption (5):
1 Spore Frog
4 Naturalize

Land: (24):
3 Elvish Spirit Guide
2 Riftstone Portal
4 Wasteland
2 Petrified Field
12 Forest
3 Exploration

Sideboard: (15...):
4 Ray of Revelation
4 Tormod's Crypt
2 Night Soil
1 Monk Realist
2 Riftstone Portal
1 Ravenous Baloth
1 Rancor/Berserk/Masticore

We've had a blast play testing the deck so far. Will it truly have the power to become a tier one contender? It seems to have the tools to at least compete. The deck has the drawing capability, tutor ability, and an initial burst of speed. It can be resilient and often can shrug off non-StP hate. Give it a try if you get a chance and post your results and thoughts on the StarCity forums or The Source (http://grexin.shonic.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi)

Matt Pietarinen
pietarinenm@hotmail.com
peter_rotten on The Source and Star City

and

Allan Race
scrumdogg@iwon.com
scrumdogg on The Source and Star City
bad Level 1 judge and crusty rogue